Four Of The “Big Six” Face Off As The Hammers Travel To Face The Reds In The Premier League

After a weekend of Emirates FA Cup Fifth-Round ties and two rounds of UEFA Champions League action, the Premier League is finally back this weekend for another round of fixtures, Matchday Twenty-Eight to you and me, and what a few days it promises to be as David Moyes’ West Ham United travel to Anfield and four of the “Big Six” battle it out with each other.

The Game Week of Top-Fight drama is kick-off at the King Power Stadium Saturday lunchtime, with Claude Puel’s Foxes entertaining Paul Lambert’s Potters live on Sky Sports.

Both of these teams are fighting very different battles, Leicester vying for Qualification to the Europa League and Stoke City battling hard for their Premier League survival, this one could go down to the wire.

It’s then swiftly on to the traditional afternoon kick-offs, the first of them being the Hammers’ tricky trip to Anfield to face off with Jurgen Klopp’s high-flying Liverpool.

The Reds will be hoping that they can force their way above rivals Manchester United and into second this weekend, while an unlikely three points for the East Londoners would move them just seven points away from the magic number 40.

Also, at that time, another mid-table side will be meeting with another team that are placed firmly in the relegation battle, the Clarets welcoming the Saints to Turf Moor.

Sean Dyche’s Burnley’s wondrous form has rather died down over the last few months, though they are still in pole position to reach European football, whilst a win on the road for Mauricio Pellegrino’s men may be enough to move them out of the bottom three.

In yet one more of the five 3 PM starts, we head down to the South Coast of the country where Eddie Howe’s AFC Bournemouth go head-to-head with Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United.

The Cherries are another example of a team just a few victories away from securing safety and they will fancy themselves against the Magpies at the Vitality Stadium, they have the chance to drop them right back into danger.

The relegation six-pointers just keep on coming tomorrow afternoon, this time, it’s the turn of Brighton & Hove Albion and Swansea City at the American Express Community Stadium.

Chris Hughton’s men have managed to piece together some impressive results of late after a baron run, meanwhile, Carlos Carvalhal’s Swans have been a revelation since the turn of the year, looking to cause more shockwaves and put extra distance between them and the drop zone.

The final of the afternoon fixtures is perhaps the most important when it comes to the matter of who will survive at the end of this season, West Bromwich Albion take on Huddersfield Town.

The outlook is bleak for Alan Pardew’s Throstles, five points adrift at the bottom and marred by off-field controversies, if David Wagner’s visitors can grind out a result, it may prove a nail in the coffin for the hosts at the Hawthorns Stadium.

Attention starts to move away from the bottom half and up to mid-table for BT Sport’s live evening fixture and tomorrow’s last offering, Watford against Everton.

Vicarage Road will be the scene and the winner of this one may go some way to deciding who manages to creep into the top half by the end of the campaign, the Toffees are the favourites for Javi Gracia vs Sam Allardyce.

A Sky Sports Sunday fest of football gets underway at Selhurst Park at lunchtime with a classic London derby seeing Crystal Palace play host to Tottenham Hotspur.

The last time that Roy Hodgson and Mauricio Pochettino met, the Eagles were fighting for their lives and the Spurs grinding away in the top four, how things change, Palace now have their noses above the danger at the bottom and the Lilywhites are out of the top four altogether, looking to get back in.

Two outfits that are in the top four are next to do battle straight after at Old Trafford, one of the events of the PL calendar in Manchester United and Chelsea.

Both Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte are currently under some pressure, the Red Devils can’t afford any more slip-ups if they have any hope of catching their dearest rivals sat the top, whilst the Blues could fall out of the top four entirely with defeat.

Supporters will have to wait a further four days for the next Match Week 18 fixture as, ironically, the teams that are due to be facing off with each other anyway are meeting in the Carabao Cup Final on Sunday afternoon.

The winner of that battle of Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola may go a long way to deciding the winner of the next one, Can the Gunners pull off a shock at the Emirates? Or will the Sky Blues take a significant step closer to the Top-Fight trophy?

Leicester City vs Stoke City (Saturday 12:30 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-0.

Liverpool vs West Ham United (Saturday 3 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 3-1.

Burnley vs Southampton (Saturday 3 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 1-1.

AFC Bournemouth vs Newcastle United (Saturday 3 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-0.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Swansea City (Saturday 3 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 1-0.

West Bromwich Albion vs Huddersfield Town (Saturday 3 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 0-1.

Watford vs Everton (Saturday 5:30 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-2.

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur (Sunday 12 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 1-2.

Manchester United vs Chelsea (Sunday 2:05 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-1.

Arsenal vs Manchester City (Thursday 7:45 PM)

Glanville’s Prediction: 0-3.

So, now that all the spills and thrills from this program of Premier League fixtures have been well and truly previewed, who will be Matchday 28’s winners? Who will be its losers? And who will make the headlines? Join us again on Monday to find out.